THE NUTCRACKER BALLET IS BASED ON A STORY WRITTEN BY E.T.A. HOFFMAN. IN THIS PRESENTATION OF THE NUTCRACKER, BY AVANT GARDE THEATRE OF DANCE, A YOUNG GIRL DREAMS OF A NUTCRACKER PRINCE AND A FIERCE BATTLE AGAINST THE MOUSE QUEEN.
IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE STAHLBAUM HOUSE – IN A LARGE MANSION WITH A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE. THE STAHLBAUMS ARE HOSTING THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY, WELCOMING THE ARRIVAL OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE CHILDREN, CLARA, HER BROTHER FRITZ, AND THEIR FRIENDS ARE DANCING AND PLAYING AS THE FAMILIES ARRIVE.
THE PARTY GROWS FESTIVE WITH MUSIC AND DANCE AS HERR DROSSELMEYER ARRIVES. HE IS A SKILLED TOYMAKER AND ALWAYS FULL OF MYSTERIOUS SURPRISES. DROSSELMEYER DRAWS EVERYONE’S ATTENTION AS HE PRESENTS TWO LIFE-SIZE WIND-UP DOLLS, A BABY DOLL AND A TOY SOLDIER. THEY ARE THE DELIGHT OF THE PARTY, AS THEY TAKE TURNS DANCING FOR THE FAMILIES.
THE CHILDREN BEGIN TO OPEN GIFTS, THEN DROSSELMEYER GIVES CLARA A SPECIAL SURPRISE. HE GIVES HER A BEAUTIFUL NUTCRACKER THAT BECOMES THE HIT OF THE PARTY. FRITZ BECOMES JEALOUS AND GRABS THE NUTCRACKER FROM CLARA AND BREAKS IT. CLARA IS HEARTBROKEN, LOOKING ON AS DROSSELMEYER MAGICALLY REPAIRS THE NUTCRACKER.
AS THE EVENING GROWS LATE, THE GUESTS DEPART AND THE STAHLBAUM FAMILY RETIRES FOR THE EVENING. CLARA, WORRIED ABOUT HER BELOVED NUTCRACKER, SNEAKS BACK DOWNSTAIRS TO CHECK ON HIM. SHE FALLS ASLEEP WITH HIM IN HER ARMS.
AS THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT STRANGE THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN. THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE GROWS HIGH, THE NUTCRACKER COMES TO LIFE AND THE ROOM FILLS WITH AN ARMY OF MICE, LEAD BY THE FIERCE MOUSE QUEEN. THE NUTCRACKER LEADS HIS ARMY OF TOY SOLDIERS INTO BATTLE WITH THE MICE AND CLARA MAKES A DARING CHARGE, PULLING THE MOUSE QUEEN’S TAIL IN ORDER TO SAVE THE NUTCRACKER. THE MOUSE QUEEN TURNS ON CLARA AND THE NUTCRACKER STABS THE MOUSE QUEEN TO SAVE HER FROM A HORRIBLE FATE. THE MOUSE QUEEN DROPS TO THE FLOOR AND THE MICE RUN AWAY, CARRYING OFF HER LIFELESS BODY.
THE NUTCRACKER TURNS INTO A PRINCE AND TAKES CLARA ON A JOURNEY THROUGH THE KINGDOM OF SNOW, AN ENCHANTED WINTER WONDERLAND WHERE THEY ARE WELCOMED BY THE SNOW QUEEN AND HER DANCING SNOWFLAKES AND SNOW FLURRIES.
THE PRINCE THEN ESCORTS CLARA TO THE LAND OF THE SWEETS WHERE THEY ARE GREETED BY THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY. THE PRINCE TELLS HER ABOUT THEIR DARING BATTLE WITH THE ARMY OF MICE AND SHE COMMANDS A CELEBRATION OF DANCING IN THEIR HONOR.
AFTER THE CELEBRATION, CLARA AND THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE RIDE OFF TO NEW ADVENTURES, SO THAT THE DREAM MAY NEVER END.
